The methods and apparatus described herein relate generally to packaging, and more specifically to cartons for packaging a product.
At least some known cartons used for packaging a product include markings, indicia, and/or a shape that communicates the product, a manufacturer of the product, and/or a seller of the product to consumers. For example, such cartons may include printed text that indicates a product's name and briefly describes the product, logos and trademarks that indicate a manufacturer and/or seller of the product, and/or designs that attract a consumer's attention. Other cartons, for example, may have a shape that corresponds to a product packaged within the carton and/or a shape that indicates a manufacture and/or seller of the product. Still further, and for example, some known cartons may include a shape that provides functionality, such as a shape that promotes the display of the carton, a shape that facilitates stacking and/or arrangement of a plurality of cartons, and/or a shape that facilitates carrying the carton. However, cartons having shapes that are more complex than conventional rectangular cartons may be difficult and costly to manufacture. Additionally, such cartons may be less likely to maintain their shape during transport and/or display thereof.
Some known cartons that package a product are also sealed to protect the product from tampering and to generally seal the joints of the carton for containing the product within the carton as well as protecting the product from contamination. For example, some known cartons include a band around a joint between portions of the carton, such as a lid and a base, to seal the carton. Other known cartons may include a bag or a liner that is sealed within the interior cavity of the carton for storing the product in a sealed environment. Moreover, there are at least some other known cartons, for example, that completely wrap the carton in shrink-wrap that is thereafter heated to shrink it tightly around the carton. However, when a carton is completely sealed with shrink-wrap portions of the carton may not be accessible without breaking the seal, thereby possibly making display and/or transport of the carton more difficult.